Angels notebook: Pitchers are helping to cut down on opponents’ stolen bases

About one-third of the way through the 2013 season, the Angels’ pitchers had to be pulled aside between games. They were taking too long to deliver the baseball to home plate.

Without a stopwatch, that’s difficult to measure. It was clear that opposing runners were stealing at will; by the end of the season the Angels’ 21.1 percent caught-stealing rate would rank 28th among the 30 major-league teams.

It was easy to blame catchers Chris Iannetta and Hank Conger for failing to throw runners out, but anyone with a stopwatch — like the coaches — laid the blame at the foot of the pitchers’ mound.

“I stopped throwing after a while,” Iannetta said. “There were times when I’d just catch the baseball and have no play. I can’t do anything. If I throw, (the baserunner is) going to be safe by two steps. If I make a bad throw, he’s on third base. Why even bother?”

The stopwatches said that several Angels pitchers were taking 1.5 seconds or more to deliver the ball to home plate. Iannetta, a veteran of nine major-league seasons, said a delivery longer than 1.35 seconds gives him “no chance” to throw out a base-stealer. That’s particularly true when the pitcher is right-handed, delivering the ball with his back to first base. Most runners feel comfortable taking a longer lead against righties compared to lefties.

However, there’s only so much a coach can do to help. Integrating slide-steps into a pitcher’s delivery might keep a runner honest, but there’s more to the equation. Even by the end of the season, the Angels were still an easy team to steal and score against.

“You can train pitchers to be 1.2 (seconds) to the plate, but it’s going to be a thigh-high fastball,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

One month into this season, Iannetta and Hank Conger are still the Angels’ catchers, but the results have been different. Opposing runners have been thrown out 29.6 percent of the time — above the 25-percent major-league average and a significant jump from last year.

Adding a pair of left-handers in Tyler Skaggs and Hector Santiago to a rotation that already includes C.J. Wilson has made a world of difference. So did a renewed emphasis in spring training on keeping runners close.

“We did a lot where we mixed in slide steps, then take a double-look, or no-look, or hold for a long time, hold then step off,” Santiago said. “We did a lot of things that I haven’t done much in the past.”

Conger threw out the only Cleveland Indians runner who attempted to steal a base Wednesday, when David Murphy was gunned down trying to swipe second against Wilson in the second inning.

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That was the fourth runner Conger has thrown out in 12 attempts this season. It’s a small sample size, but his 33 percent caught-stealing rate is up from his 24 percent rate of a year ago.

Iannetta threw out 19 percent of attempted base-stealers last season and is up to 27 percent in 18 games this year.

Thanks to some new pitchers and a new focus, he isn’t holding onto the baseball anymore.

“I think you saw last year that if you don’t have a chance to throw a guy out, it doesn’t matter how quick a catcher is,” Iannetta said.

Don Baylor visits

Hitting coach Don Baylor visited Angel Stadium on Tuesday for the first time since fracturing his femur catching the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day.

“Just having Don walk in, we did still feel his presence,” Scioscia said. “He’s as connected as he could be watching games and communicating with me and Dave Hansen.”

Baylor is using a walker to get around and Scioscia said that Baylor “still has a ways to go” before he can be present full-time. Assistant hitting coach Dave Hansen and Paul Sorrento are splitting Baylor’s duties in the meantime.

Baylor has some opinions about the Angels’ lineup. His thoughts on Howie Kendrick batting leadoff?

“He’s good with the direction we’re going,” Scioscia said.

Also

Sean Burnett (elbow) threw 11 pitches in an extended spring training game and “his stuff looked good” according to Scioscia’s report. He and Dane De La Rosa (forearm) will both throw on Friday in Tempe, Ariz. … Scioscia is 3 for 5 in manager’s challenges this year, but the 60 percent success rate doesn’t matter to him. “You’re only going to challenge when there’s a realistic shot,” he said. ... The Angels optioned right-hander Yoslan Herrera to Triple-A Salt Lake after the game. A corresponding roster move will be announced Friday.